Royce Gerstner was born in Geneseo, Illinois, January 26, 1904, and came
  to Barber County with his parents, John and Marcia Gerstner, in 1909. At
  that time the railroad from Kiowa to Hardtner was not built; therefore, 
  Marcia's father, Samuel Decker, met them at the depot in Kiowa in a lumber
  wagon and took them to the Decker ranch six miles west of Hardtner. They
  lived on the ranch and helped with the farming and cattle for about a year.
  While they were living there, they tell that Royce had a very favorite toy,
  a dapple gray horse about a foot high, that he cherished and loved. One day
  some children from Hardtner were coming out to spend the day and Royce's
  great Aunt Jane Kough, who lived with the Deckers, told hom to put his horse
  under her bed and no one would bother it. That night, when Aunt Jane went to
  bed, the bed slat broke and crushed the toy completely.
     John, Marcia, and Royce moved to Hardtner in 1910; they helped with getting
  the Methodist Church going and many other things in town. John operated a
  butcher shop for awhile; then they bought the Telephone Exchange from G.B.
  Darling and managed it until Southwestern Bell bought them out about 1942. 
  Marcia was chief operator with only one other operator. John took care of the
  lines and telephones. Royce and his father did some farming also.
     On October 23, 1917, a little brother, Keith Densmore arrived; Keith went
  through the grades and high school in Hardtner, and then attended Southwestern
  in Winfield. He went in business in San Antonio, Texas and married Lillian
  Telotte. They have two sons, Kent and Lynn.
     Royce went to school in Hardtner through the grades and high school. After
  graduation, he went to Wichita Business College. On September 5, 1924, he
  married his high school sweeheart, Leone Loster, in Augusta, Kansas. They made
  their home in Augusta until Christmas, when they returned to Hardtner and 
  rented the Achenback farm 1 1/2 miles west of town. They farmed wheat, milked
  cows, and had a flock of 100 White Leghorn hens. The winter of 1926-27 was a
  cold one, and on January 28, 1927, a boy, Jimmy Dale, was born in a blizzard;
  Dr. Simon spent the night and part of the next day at their house.
     In the fall of 1927, Royce and Leone bought the Hopkins farm in Woods
  County, Oklahoma. Here they built a new chicken house and increased the flock
  to 300 hens, and more cows to milk - also more farming. On November 11, 1928,
  another son, Don Beverly was born. It seemed Royce was destined to be in the
  chicken business, for in 1931 with the help of Mr. Newt Yates of Hardtner and
  several businessmen in Medicine LOdge, he started a hatchery and feed store
  in Medicine Lodge. During their stay in business, they moved four times - 
  each time because of the need for more space for their growing business.
     The home in Medicine Lodge was at 406 W. 2nd., and here on May 27, 1935, a
  girl, Patricia Ann, was born. Many happy days were spent in this neighborhood.
  The thirty, and more at times, children who lived nearby played in the yard
  day after day. Sometimes there were some real exciting basketball games played
  at night with Royce and some of the older men. Then there were the neighborhood
  parties with the Will Lalickers, Ernie Melkus, Claude Potts, Geo. Piersons, 
  Martins, Eddie Goods, Ed Jones, and others.
     In April, 1947, Royce and Leone bought a farm in the Sharon Valley one mile
  north of Sharon, commuting to M.L. until 1958 when they sold the Hatchery
  equipment; and Royce devoted his time to hog raising, producing as many as
  2000 pigs per year. Happy days were spent here on the farm, but in 1968
  Royce suffered a heart attack and was forced to give up the work on the farm.
  There were good days after that for Royce and Leone went on several trips -
  taking their time and enjoying the wonders of our land.
     September 1st, 1974, Royce and Leone celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary;
  and on September 6th Royce had a fatal heart attack. He is laid to rest in 
  the Hardtner Cemetery.
                 
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 192 
     Submitted by: Leone Gerstner